One of the enduring mysteries of bird distribution in the Front Range metro region
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Ted Floyd
May 15, 2021, 9:40:27 PM5/15/21
to Colorado Birds
Hey, everybody.
Lots of great birds have been eBirded of late in Boulder County: summer tanager, Hudsonian godwit, eastern towhee, dunlin, and a slug of Eastern warblers. However, the total number of Boulder County northern mockingbirds eBirded thus far in 2021 is zero (0).
Well, earlier this hazy and overcast Saturday, May 15, I counted at least nine (9) northern mockingbirds at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Adams County. The driving time from southeastern Boulder County to the refuge gate is all of 25 minutes. It's just so weird to me that the species goes from rare to common like that across such minimal distance--and with no appreciable differences in climate, topography, habitat, etc.
...
The mockingbirds stole the show, or, at least, stole my heart, at the Arsenal this morning. But there were other nice birds there, too. Dean Shoup and Sheryl Ferguson and I found 3 black-necked stilts, 2 stilt sandpipers, 1 white-rumped sandpiper, 1 red-headed woodpecker, 1 red-bellied woodpecker, 1 Cassin kingbird, 1 thick-billed longspur, 15+ clay-colored sparrows, and 175+ lark buntings.
If you count the house sparrows and house finches on the grounds of the Commerce City Police Department, adjacent to the refuge, we had an even 100 species for our visit.
Nice day to be out!
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County
Lots of great birds have been eBirded of late in Boulder County: summer tanager, Hudsonian godwit, eastern towhee, dunlin, and a slug of Eastern warblers. However, the total number of Boulder County northern mockingbirds eBirded thus far in 2021 is zero (0).
Well, earlier this hazy and overcast Saturday, May 15, I counted at least nine (9) northern mockingbirds at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Adams County. The driving time from southeastern Boulder County to the refuge gate is all of 25 minutes. It's just so weird to me that the species goes from rare to common like that across such minimal distance--and with no appreciable differences in climate, topography, habitat, etc.
...
The mockingbirds stole the show, or, at least, stole my heart, at the Arsenal this morning. But there were other nice birds there, too. Dean Shoup and Sheryl Ferguson and I found 3 black-necked stilts, 2 stilt sandpipers, 1 white-rumped sandpiper, 1 red-headed woodpecker, 1 red-bellied woodpecker, 1 Cassin kingbird, 1 thick-billed longspur, 15+ clay-colored sparrows, and 175+ lark buntings.
If you count the house sparrows and house finches on the grounds of the Commerce City Police Department, adjacent to the refuge, we had an even 100 species for our visit.
Nice day to be out!
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County
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